Surviving Breast Cancer Through a Pandemic, Early Detection is Key

Did you know that 1 in 8 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime! It's estimated that more than 281, 500 new cases of invasive breast cancer and 49,290 non-invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in women living in the United States. For men, although rare, the estimation is that 2,650 will receive a diagnosis of breast cancer this year alone! Approximately 530 of those men will die, according to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc.

Keeping your yearly routine check-ups and procedures have been proven to be lifesaving. When you see your doctor regularly, they are able to detect health conditions or diseases early, which can give you the best chance to receive the right treatment quickly. However, what happens when there is a worldwide pandemic going on? According to Bloomberg.com, experts say that medical care was deferred or avoided in 2020, even Cancer care was pushed off or canceled. Now imagine, living through a worldwide pandemic, missing your 2019 mammogram and you find out that your 2020 test results reveal that you have breast cancer for the first time in your life.

Let me introduce you to, Gloria Conyers, a Detroit Native, longtime member and Director of Food Distribution of Greater Emmanuel Institutional COGIC and now a Breast Cancer Survivor and Advocate. She is a resilient and caring person. She even continued to work through her Breast Cancer diagnosis and treatment. Gloria Conyers tells the Telegram News, that her case was a little different and that even while doing a self-breast exam, she never felt a lump and neither did her doctors. It wasn't until after missing her 2019 mammogram and finally during the pandemic, she was able to get a scheduled appointment. The results from the mammogram revealed that she had breast cancer. Gloria Conyers, says that she credits God for this journey and for allowing her to be a survivor. She also gives praises to the staff at Karmanos Cancer Center in Detroit, for being patient with answering all of her and her family's questions and concerns.

Clifton: What lead to your breast cancer diagnosis?

Gloria Conyers: October 2020, in the midst of the pandemic, is when I was diagnosed. I had missed the mammogram from 2019 and then the pandemic hit in March and I didn't want to go anywhere around the hospital. So I went, in October for my mammogram and then I got a call. At that point the doctors did another mammogram and biopsy, that's when I got the diagnosis. I ended up having 13 rounds of radiation and currently I'm on cancer prevention pills for the next 5 years. I recently had my follow-up mammogram this month, both the regular mammogram and 3D imaging showed, all is well.

Clifton: What did that experience feel like, once you received the diagnosis? Can you walk us through it?

Gloria Conyers: I never felt a Lump neither did my doctors. It was the mammogram that detected the lump.

My results, were sent to my primary doctor and I didn't get my normal results via the mail like I usually do. They were sent to my doctor and I was scheduled to see my doctor in November 2020 anyways.

My prayers have always been for cancer not to touch my body. My doctor was getting ready to set me up at Beaumont and I told him that I wanted to go to Karmanos because they are specialist and are well-known to treat Breast Cancer.

Clifton: Did your faith ever waver or was there any concern that surviving Breast Cancer was not an option?

Gloria Conyers: There was no doubt in my mind that this wasn't going to work out. I had to rely on my faith that God will see me through it. I was more concerned about my family and not necessarily myself. I had other close family members that were dealing with their sicknesses, COVID and other health issues. I was beating myself up because, I had missed my appointment in 2019. However, the doctor told me that it might have been a good thing because my lump was very small and may have gone undetected. I took two tests, the one that determines the level of aggressiveness ended up showing that the cancer that I had in my breast was less aggressive and that chemo wasn't needed.

Clifton: What advice would you give to the women that may be scared to have a mammogram because of the possibility?

Gloria Conyers: I would say to them to do the monthly self-breast examinations and if you don't know how to do it, then to seek out help with the doctor or breast cancer organizations that teach it.

Particularly if you've had family members who has had it, I would strongly encourage them to keep their mammograms scheduled and to complete monthly self-breast examines. Also, to follow the Breast Cancer Society recommendations, in terms of when to start having mammograms and self-breast examines.

Clifton: Did you join any support groups and how did that help you?

Gloria Conyers: I absolutely did, Living Brave Through Breast Cancer. This past weekend, I attended an event they hosted and it was great.

There was so much useful information that I learned. I am so glad that I got a chance to go and meet up with two ladies that helped me through my diagnosis experience.

Clifton: When it comes to your faith, what church are you a member of and do you belong to any ministries?

Gloria Conyers: I am a longtime member of Greater Emmanuel Institutional COGIC, where my pastor and first lady are, Bishop J. Drew Sheard and Evangelist Karen Clark-Sheard. I joined back in the early 90s and now I am the Director of GEI Food Distribution Ministry. We partner with Gleaners Community Foodbank and Forgotten Harvest. On every 3rd Saturday of the month, we service the community by feeding on average 200-300 families, depending on family size 900-1200 individuals. If you or your family would like more information contact GEI COGIC at 313-864-7170, 19190 Schafer Hwy, Detroit 48235, http://www.geicogic.org.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in American women, except for skin cancers. It is estimated that in 2021, approximately 30% of all new women cancer diagnoses will be breast cancer. There are over 3.8 million breast cancer survivors in the United States. On average, it's estimated that every 2 minutes a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer in the US. According to the American Cancer Society, when breast cancer is detected early, and is in the localized stage, the 5-year relative survival rate is 99%. Early detection includes doing monthly breast self-exams, and scheduling regular clinical breast exams and mammograms.